Five companies have been contracted to help build a common data link for small unmanned aircraft systems as part of a two-phase program run by the Idaho National Laboratory program.Contractors will work to develop a waveform for the future Bandwidth Efficient Common Data Link system, the laboratory says on FedBizOpps.
Idaho National Laboratory aims to facilitate command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance communication between unmanned aircraft and military communications devices with the data link.
Awardees for the program include:
- BAE Systems
- Cubic Defense Applications
- L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL)
- Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL)
- Real Time Logic
Cubic, who announced its participation in the program Tuesday, said it was awarded a $1.8 million contract for its work on the data link.
“We are proud to be selected to provide a BE-CDL Rev B solution, †said Dave Schmitz, president of Cubic Defense Systems.
The laboratory wants users to transmit full-motion video and sensor feeds from small UAS through the data link.
